It has been reported that a pyrazine derivative having an acylguanidine, namely amiloride represented by the following formula, has a Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchange transport inhibitory action and shows anti-arrhythmic action [Circulation, 79, 1257 (1989)]. However, anti-arrhythmic action of amiloride is weak and it accompanies hypotensive action and salt excretion action, so that this compound is not desirable for the treatment of arrhythmia. ##STR2##
Recently, benzoylguanidine derivatives have been disclosed in J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol., 24, Suppl. I, S. 92 (1992), JP-A-5-33922 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and JP-A-8-73427, and also an indoloylguanidine derivative in JP-A-8-208602, all as derivatives which have Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchange transport inhibitory action and show anti-arrhythmic action.
The object of the present invention is to find a novel cycloalka[b]pyridine-3-carbonylguanidine derivative which has Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchange transport inhibitory action and is useful as a therapeutic or preventive drug for diseases caused by the acceleration of Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+ exchange transport system, such as hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes, organ disorders due to ischemia or ischemia reperfusion, cerebral ischemic disorders, diseases due to excess proliferation of cells and diseases due to endothelial cell damage.